Ginny's POV

LIFE AND LOVE

I, Ginny Weasley, was standing at the altar of a small village church in Ottery St. Catchpole, the place where I have lived my whole life. I was standing before a priest hand-in-hand with my fiancé, soon-to-be husband, Jack Sloper, whom I cared about very much, and told myself that I loved. The church was full of my relatives and friends. My best friend, Hermione Granger, was my chief bridesmaid, she seemed shocked that I asked her, but I would have asked no one else, and she wore beautiful blue robes, intricately embroidered with illustrious patterns. My dress, however, was pure white and very simple. It reached down to the floor, straight with very little shape to it, but on me, so Hermione said, it looked magnificent. The whole church was smiling, except my Mum, who was crying, which is typical of her. I knew she'd blub. There was in fact one other person who did not seem happy about my wedding and that was the youngest of my six brothers, Ron, the one who I was closest to. He was on the side of his best friend Harry Potter, who was still very much in love with me, as much as he had been over one year ago when he and I broke up...

It was the middle of winter, my first winter out of Hogwarts when it happened. Both Harry and I were training to become aurors and we were both top of our classes. Every day after training in the academy, we would meet in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic and from there walk together to the apparition point, where we would apparate back to the cottage which we shared with Ron and Hermione (who were a couple and engaged to be married). It all happened becasue I was slightly late because Kingsley Shacklebolt, the auror in charge of my training, kept me back to talk about my excellent Bat Bogey Hex. This made me five minutes later than usual for meeting Harry. I did not believe what I saw when I walked around that corner. It was as if time had stood still and I was praying that the floor would just open up and swallow me whole. There stood Harry Potter, the man that I loved, with his lips pressed against another woman's, a woman who I had never seen in my life. I felt my eyes welling up, but I willed tears not to fall. I watched Harry break the kiss and stare at me. I could see shock, guilt and even fear in his eyes. To this day I don't know what he was afraid of.

"Ginny," he said taking a step towards.

"Don't bother, Harry," I hissed, before whippng round and running as fast as I could.

I'm not sure how I got to the apparition point, or how I got back to the cottage. All I remember is grabbing a bag, throwing a few clothes into it and apparating away before anyone could stop me. Harry never caught me. And from that day, until the day of my wedding, I never saw him again. He sent Hedwig after with many letters, one every day for a month. As every letter arrived, I simply threw it into the fire unopened. I didn't want to read any of his lies and excuses. I loved him. I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone and he betrayed me. He wounded me so deeply, it was as if he had ripped my heart out. I ran away to the house of Jack Sloper, one man who back in school told me that he'd always be there for me, no matter what. That was when I told him that I could not go out with him, because of Harry, but now, things were different. I would never go back to Harry. Hermione tried several times to try and change my mind, but nothing ever could. Harry broke my heart, and now I was moving on.

Two months later Jack proposed to me. I found myself feeling less delighted than I should be, after all I was marrying a wonderful man, who loved me very much. I should have been thrilled, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my head that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Nonetheless, I sent a letter straight to Hermione, telling her about my engagement and asking her to be my bridesmaid. She accepted immediately and spent ten minutes admiring my ring. I told Ron, of course, my parents and my other brothers. I didn't know if anyoneone would tell but, but I chastised myself and told myself that I didn't care whetehr he knew or not. Harry Potter was nothing to me.

For a year I told anyone who would listen that I was the happiest girl alive, couldn't have been happier. Looking back on it now, though, I realise that the only person who I fooled was myself.

I come now to the day of my wedding. Jack was halfway through his vows when a muggle boy, no older than fifteen, burst open the church doors and sprinted down the aisle. I spun round with my hand over my mouth. For a split second I thought it was Harry. I remember it as though it was yesterday.

"Do any of you have a phone?" he shouted.

Had I paused to think, I would have realised what a ludicrous and absolutely hilarious question this was. Three-quarters of the people there were pure-blood wizards who wouldn't have a clue what a phone was. I was so grateful when Hermione, with her ever-cool head in a panicked situation, answered him.

"Why do you need a phone?" she asked.

"There's been an accident outside," he explained. "A man's been knocked down by a lorry, whilst running across the street. Just outside here."

"What did he look like?" Hermione questioned him.

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. Hermione was worried, I could hear it in her voice.

"He's got black hair, dead messy it is, and he's wearing glasses, round'uns, oh, and he's got a funny zigzag line on his forehead," the boy told us.

My hand dropped limply to my side. The church began to spin. All the people turned into a pinkish blur. The boy sounded as though he was on the other side of a hill. It was Harry lying out there in the middle of the road

"I need to call an ambulance," said the boy.

He hurried outside again. I stared after him out of the door. In my head a strange voice kept repeating the word 'Harry' over and over again. I loved him. No matter how much I had tried to fool myself over the last year, nothing had really changed. I loved him so much. I couldn't breathe. I felt dizzy. Like I was floating outside of my body. I tried to move, but I felt as though chains were anchoring me to the spot. Chains that in my mind, looked a lot like Jack.

"Go to him, Ginny," I heard Hermione say, somewhere in the distance..

Then I knew it was alright. No one would blame me for running. I had to go to him. I sprinted away down the aisle, pulling my veil off as I went. Without looking at anything or anyone, I dashed out into the road, and threw myself down at the side of the crumpled and bleeding body of the man who I loved.

"Harry," I said taking his hand.

I kissed his palm, gently, then lifted his hand to my cheek. I longed to feel the sensation of his warm skin against mine, to know that he wasn't gone, that I hadn't lost him.

"I love you, Harry," I whispered, desperately.

I stroked his forehead gently, pouring all the love that I had in me in that touch. He had to know that I was there. He needed to know that there was a reason for him to hang on, I reason for him to survive.

The wait for the ambulance to arrive seemed eternal, but I have never been so relieved to hear a person speak then when a paramedic shouted to his colleagues,

"He's still breathing."

I felt dazed. The paramedics were hazy and there was a strange buzzing in my head. I couldn't focus on anything except Harry. I heard the echo of the words I most wanted to hear. 'He's still breathing'. I kept tight hold of Harry's hand until he was lifted into the ambulance. I turned to Ron and Hermione, pleading for support. They took me into an enormous hug and we did not notice a paramedic approaching us.

"Who is his next of kin," the paramedic asked.

"He has no family," I said quietly.

"But he lives with us," said Ron, indicating himself and Hermione.

"What about her?" he asked Ron, pointing to me.

"She used to date him, but now they are just good friends," said Ron.

"Well, I can only take one of you in the ambulance with him," said the paramedic.

"You go, Ginny," Hermione said. "We'll come in a bit. I promise."

I smiled briefly at me. I hugged her once more, then the paramedic took my hand and helped me to climb into the back of his vehicle. I took Harry's hand once more and didn't let go all through the rather bumpy ride to the hospital.

As soon as we arrived, Harry was steered through into a room full of strange looking boxes. A nurse took me by the arm and led me into a room which she called the Relative's room to wait for news. That was the worst I have ever felt. I didn't know if he was alive, unconscious, dying, or already dead. For an hour I waited. I heard nothing. I was going out of my mind. My whole world was lying in that room and they couldn't bother to spend thirty seconds to gave someone a message to pass on to me. Then I remembered. Fred and George had given me an extendable ear to hide under my dress as my something old, for the wedding. I slipped out of the room and went to the door of Harry's room and listened in.

Two hours later Ron and Hermione arrived, carrying a change of clothes for me. It was thoughtful of Hermione, as I was dying to change out of my wedding dress.

"Ginny Weasley," said Hermione, sternly when she noticed the extendable ear.

"They wouldn't let me in," I explained. "I have to know what's going on."

"Fair enough," she said, pulling an extendable ear out of her pocket and watching Ron do the same.

"...lucky if he gets through," one of the doctors was saying.

"He's strong," said the other. "He's got a fighting chance."

"It was a terrible incident though. I've never seen a worse case, where somebody came out alive."

"I know, still, he's young, he's strong, and from what I can gather was in fine health before the accident. He's not out of the water yet, but I reckon that the odds are in his favour."

"Hmm, and I'm sure that one young lady will be all too happy to help him recover."

I felt my cheeks go hot.

"It seems like an awkward situation, doesn't it? Well, let's go and tell her the good news."

Hermione, Ron and I, quickly withdrew the extendable ears from the door.

"Miss Weasley," said the younger of the doctors emerging from the room. "It appears that Mr Potter has a good chance of survival. His condition is still critical, but time will tell. He's young and strong, he's got that in his favour."

"Thank you, Doctor," I said, hoping tha my face wasn't still red.

"You can go and see him if you like," the other doctor said, following his companion out of the room.

"Thank you," I said, pushing the door open and entering the room.

I sat down in a chair beside the bed and took Harry's hand in mine, gently kissing his fingers.

"I'm so sorry that I never read your letters, Harry. And I'm sorry that I never let you explain. I shouldn't have left like I did, I was just so hurt. I know that you didn't cheat on me, don't ask me how I know, because I have no idea. I can just feel it, deep down inside me. I'm sorry for leaving you, Harry, even after I promised you that I would never leave you. I love you, Harry. I never sopped loving you. Please don't think that I hate you, but I will understand if you hate me. I deserve it for what I did. Please get better Harry. I need you to get better. I love you so, so much. Please, Harry. Please."

I felt warm tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't even bother to wipe them away. There were more important things in life than keeping up appearances.

"I love you."

I stroked the hair away from his forehead. I hated to see Harry with all these strange tubes keeping him alive. I wanted him to get better. He just had to get better. He had to know how I loved him. Harry was always so strong, so unafraid. He could handle pain. It never bothered him. He was brave and he would do anything for anybody that he loved, and even those whom he hardly knew. It wasn't right to see Harry so helpless. I couldn't bear the thought of losing Harry, anymore than Hermione or Ron could. I had only one small consolation. If he died, I would be there with him. He would not die alone.

For five days I kept her vigil by Harry's bed and never left it, save for when the doctors came to examine him, and my one shower, and toilet stops, of course. And for five days, Ron and Hermione watched on from outside the small side room. Mum and Dad visited on the third day, as did Bill with Healer Augustus Pye from St. Mungo's. Healer Pye had managed to arrange transport to the wizarding hospital for when Harry was awake, but he could not do anything for Harry whilst in the care of muggles.

Late in the evening on the fifth day, when I was alone with Harry, his eyes flickered open.

"Ginny?" Harry moaned, groping for his glasses. "Is that you?"

"It's me Harry," I whispered, kissing his palm.

"Why are you here?"

"I've been here for five days Harry."

"Five days! I've been in here five days?"

"Yes and I haven't left your side."

"But, why Ginny? You haven't spoken to me in over a year."

"I love you, Harry. I never stopped loving you. I was just hurt. I'm so sorry that I left you. Please forgive me, Harry."

I was crying once again. I was so desperate for him to forgive me, to know how sorry I was and to feel how much I loved him.

"Please, Harry. I love you," Ginny pleaded again.

"I forgive you, Ginny. I love. This last year has been agony without you. I love you so much."

Harry lifted his hand to my cheek and stroked my face. gazed into his green eyes, something that I'd not done for so long. This is how it was meant to be.

"I love you, Harry. I called off my engagement to Jack. You're the only one for me."

I bent down and kissed his lips gently. His lips were dry to touch, yet still as soft as I remembered.

"Where am I, Gin?" he asked.

"A muggle hospital. We haven't been able to get you to St. Mungo's yet. The muggles sent for an ambulance before we could contact the healers."

"I was coming to stop the wedding. I had to let you know how I felt."

"I figured as much."

I couldn't wipe the smile from my face, and marvelled at how long it had been since I truly smiled.

"Listen. Ron and Hermione are outside, Harry. Do you want to see them?"

"Yeah. Will you tell them to come in?"

"No need. They'll be listening through some extendable ears no doubt. Come in you two."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other guiltily. They opened the door and entered Harry's side room, trying desperately to hide their red faces.

"It's good to see you awake, Harry," Hermione said.

Harry and I were both smiling at them. Ron pulled up a couple of chairs for them and they sat down on the opposite side of the bed to me.

"Yeah. We've missed you mate," Ron said.

"Sorry. I guess I just didn't see that truck coming," Harry said.

"It doesn't matter now," I told him softly. "You're still here with us, and we're all together again."

Two days later Harry was transferred to St Mungo's hospital and was fixed up in no time by the expert healers Smethwyck and Pye. The portrait of Dilys Derwent winked at us as we walked past her. She must have recognised us from that Christmas all those years ago.

Anyway, as soon as Harry was discharged from the hospital he and I were back together and catching up on lost time. In fact Harry proposed to me about a month after his recovery. He organised a portkey to take us from our house, to the small Spanish island of Menorca, to a beach called Cala Galdana. It must have cost him a pretty penny as well. Portkey authorisation fees aren't small. He must have spent days searching for the right place. He chose the wonderful horseshoe beach with perfect white sand and wonderful, clear blue water. The portkey took us to Cala Galdana where we first went to a restaurant and shared a traditional Spanish dish call Paella. Harry then took me for a walk along the beach and proposed to her under the stars. It was so unbelievably romantic. He told me that he loved me, and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, that I was the most amazing and beautiful person he had ever met and that I was the only one who had always believed in him, and the ring is magnificent. It is a relatively small solitaire diamond set in white gold and rhodium, with twist of metal holding the main stone in place with diamonds encrusted into the rhodium plating. It is the perfect ring. I was ecstatically happy when Harry and I arrived home that evening.

Our wedding was amazing. My dress was white once more, but this time more elaborate. My bridesmaids wore pink, and Harry still hadn't managed to tame his hair. For our honeymoon we returned to the place where Harry proposed to me and I had the time of my life.

"The path to true love never runs smooth... " but true love conquers all...